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Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Underwater tent...
Wow, we're talking a long time ago, but here goes.
First, I'm assuming that the setting and morphology of the pond
aren't significant.
Suffice it to say, , the only problems I encountered were in the
construction,
the materials available to me, and my own inexperience and not so
much the dynamics of the pond.
My tools were pipe benders, hacksaw, pipe threaders, and the ol'
Sears craftman's tool set [ the old "good" tool set of a time passed ].
The materials were ; conduit and plumbing fittings, construction
grade clear visaquene plastic, pitch for sealant, rope, string, small
canvas bags used with sand and gravel for weight and trim, and
homemade pinch clamps to hold plastic to frame at various points
to keep it in place [ without damaging or poking holes in the plastic.]
Basically, the stock came from a loose assortment of parts from
my granddad's barn. The base frame was sized and cut from
stock galvinized 1inch diam. conduit, the top frame was sized and
cut from half inch galvinized stock. I rammed and packed the pipe for
the base with sand using rebar and pieces of burlap wadding.
The top frame was left hollow. I made four tents the last being
successful at 4feet by 6feet base at 3feet in height. 3 half round
frame members with a longitudinal supporting member and vertical
supports at each end. Despite its weight it was slightly positive
bouyant. So, I added sand filled canvas bags lashed to the bottom
frame. When I needed to replenish the air or take it to surface I simply
unlashed the bags and it would rise slowly with a little help.
It was crude and it did leak, but there was always a good size pocket
of air to enable me to explore a short distance and return for air.
I would say it gave me about 20 minutes under before I had to surface.
I could sit in it, but the plastic would fog up a lot, but a splash of
water
cleared it up. Visaquene is hygroscopic so it would opaque and degrade
out of water while being stored. It was fun while it lasted. It was
destroyed
when my cousins and a few neighbor kids thought it would be fun
playing 'depth charge' with large rocks [ and with me in it ! ]
Well, did that help?... or at least crack a smile?
Shallow, tidal, and near shore dynamics is a different story compared
to a pond. You've got your work cut out for you that's for sure.
cheers, --Steve
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 21:34:22 -0700 (PDT) Warren Greenway
<opensourcesub@yahoo.com> writes:
> That is similar to the proposal by Michael Savage
> in his book Millenial Project. So, what I want to know
> is this: How large was your electrical conduit
> underwater tent? I'm still very interested in
> collecting data on swell-induced pressure variations
> in such a habitat.
>
> Warren.
>
> --- Steven Mills <cirtemoeg@juno.com> wrote:
> > ...and, if you feel real ambitious or want to add a
> > split-level
> > to that underwater tent, may I suggest this :
> >
> > http://fun.supereva.it/artificialisle/index.html
> >
> >
> > Or, perhaps we should all chip in and build a pSubs
> > headquarters
> > and convention center ?
> >
> > :- ) --Steve
> >
> >
> > On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 09:37:53 -0700 (PDT) Warren
> > Greenway
> > <opensourcesub@yahoo.com> writes:
> > > Cool! Thanks! One thing about that link that is
> > > interesting is that they are measuring PAR. I told
> > the
> > > company I was working for that underwater PAR
> > > measurments would become important in the near
> > future.
> > > They laughed. Hmmm. I designed a PAR instrument
> > once
> > > before!
> > >
> > > Warren.
> > >
> > > --- Steven Mills <cirtemoeg@juno.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > This isn't exactly a tent for habitation or
> > > > saturation diving. But it is
> > > > similar to something I built as a 14 year old
> > kid
> > > > quite by accident.
> > > > I'll forgo the story behind it, but I ended up
> > > > building a small quonset
> > > > style tent using electrical conduit pipe for a
> > frame
> > > > [ that's all I had
> > > > available to me ] the bottom part of the pipe
> > frame
> > > > packed with sand.
> > > > It wasn't elaborate or incorporate any venting,
> > but
> > > > was great on a
> > > > hot summers day and watching blue gill and bass
> > [ or
> > > > were they
> > > > watching me : ) ] It was in a pond about 15
> > feet
> > > > under.
> > > >
> > > > --Steve
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/ofr/00-361/sharq.html
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 15:16:18 -0700 (PDT) Warren
> > > > Greenway
> > > > <opensourcesub@yahoo.com> writes:
> > > > > Yeah, I was thinking of something
> > similar...But
> > > > here's
> > > > > the catch. Make your panels out of the fiber
> > > > > reinforced
> > > > > recycled tire material and use belting and
> > > > adhesive
> > > > > to hold the pieces together. I like the
> > concrete
> > > > > approach, but I wonder how you would assemble
> > it?
> > > > > Would you pour the sections on a barge and
> > lower
> > > > them
> > > > > into place over a temporary structure? I have
> > > > wondered
> > > > > about building on the bottom, but it seems
> > that
> > > > the
> > > > > uncertain and silty nature of the bottom would
> > > > make
> > > > > it more desirable to float on a tether...Hmmm.
> >
> > > > >
> > > > > Warren.
> > > > >
> > > > > --- Brian Cox <ojaibees@ojai.net> wrote:
> > > > > > What I have thought of before was a geodesic
> > > > dome
> > > > > > where all of the tiangles are made of
> > reeforced
> > > > > > concrete (concrete is my life !) .The dome
> > could
> > > > be
> > > > > > assembled on land first and then taken apart
> > and
> > > > > > reasembled under water, the triangles would
> > > > > > interlock and then assembled underwater and
> > > > membrain
> > > > > > would be fitted to the inside of the dome so
> > no
> > > > air
> > > > > > would escape through cracks. The wieght of
> > the
> > > > > > cement triangles would keep the dome on the
> > > > floor of
> > > > > > the ocean.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Brian
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > > From: "Warren Greenway"
> > > > <opensourcesub@yahoo.com>
> > > > > > To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
> > > > > > Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2004 9:14 AM
> > > > > > Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Underwater
> > tent...
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Well, that's the type of application I was
> > > > > > thinking
> > > > > > > of.
> > > > > > > Marine research, salvage, general diver
> > > > support,
> > > > > > etc.
> > > > > > > I am thinking in the 20'-30' range for
> > this.
> > > > Time?
> > > > > > > Well...From hours to semi-permanent. One
> > thing
> > > > > > that
> > > > > > > I want to try some day is a completely
> > > > closed-loop
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > hydroponics experiment. One of these tents
> > > > could
> > > > > > make
> > > > > > > that possible for a reasonable cost.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Warren.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > --- NeophyteSG@aol.com wrote:
> > > > > > > > Warren,
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > What do you see yourself using it for?
> > All
> > > > of
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > times that I've seen a
> > > > > > > > similar apparatus used has been by
> > marine
> > > > > > biology
> > > > > > > > researchers doing fish counts
> > > > > > > > and similar bottom studies. What depth
> > are
> > > > you
> > > > > > > > planning on using the tent at?
> > > > > > > > How big? How long do you
> > expect/plan/want
> > > > to
> > > > > > > > inhabit it?
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Warm Regards
> > > > > > > > Shawn
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > *****
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > "Call nothing thy own except thy soul.
> > > > > > > > Love not what thou art, but only what
> > thou
> > > > may
> > > > > > > > become.
> > > > > > > > Do not pursue pleasure, for thou may
> > have
> > > > the
> > > > > > > > misfortune to overtake it...
> > > > > > > > Live in the vision of that one for whom
> > > > great
> > > > > > deeds
> > > > > > > > are done ..."
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Man of LaMancha, D. Wasserman
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > __________________________________
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> > > > > >
> > > > >
> >
> === message truncated ===
>
>
>
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>
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